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  #31021  
Old Posted Oct 22, 2015, 7:14 PM
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ardecila ardecila is offline
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Originally Posted by Busy Bee View Post
Regarding the Logan Square TOD, it's a bit sad/funny that our idea of dense TOD is ljust like any 6-7 story apartment building next to an el station anywhere in New York.
It's incremental. One step at a time... We won't be building these en masse right after the ordinance passed. It will take a long time before we adjust people's expectations surrounding parking.

Fortunately the new TOD ordinance not only paves the way for more developments like this, but it also removes community groups from the approval process. If you have property zoned in a -3, now you can already build things like this with a simple zoning variance and no City Council vote.

However, I think it's a bit false to compare to New York... We have many times more available land than that city, because we're starting from a lower-density base with a huge roster of underutilized industrial land and significant abandonment on the West and South sides. We're also not growing as quickly as New York.
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  #31022  
Old Posted Oct 22, 2015, 7:24 PM
SamInTheLoop SamInTheLoop is offline
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^ Does it really remove community groups from the approval process, however? I'm unclear on the last-minute changes to the newly strengthened ordinance (apparently there were 3 of them)...........see article linked-to below.........if it's the local alderman that gives the final approval - as article states, of course that's giving community groups a voice on these matters (which they should absolutely, positively NOT have)..........or, are you talking about something specific which does not fall under what the aldermen need to sign-off on??


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...921-story.html
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Last edited by SamInTheLoop; Oct 22, 2015 at 10:00 PM.
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  #31023  
Old Posted Oct 22, 2015, 7:25 PM
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ithakas ithakas is offline
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Originally Posted by ardecila View Post
It's incremental. One step at a time... We won't be building these en masse right after the ordinance passed. It will take a long time before we adjust people's expectations surrounding parking.

Fortunately the new TOD ordinance not only paves the way for more developments like this, but it also removes community groups from the approval process. If you have property zoned in a -3, now you can already build things like this with a simple zoning variance and no City Council vote.

However, I think it's a bit false to compare to New York... We have many times more available land than that city, because we're starting from a lower-density base with a huge roster of underutilized industrial land and significant abandonment on the West and South sides. We're also not growing as quickly as New York.
Also, there's the fact that the neighboring TOD twin tower project is 10 + 11 stories (?), respectively. There's also at least 3 other TOD projects in the immediate area, with more that could be on the way with Kozy Korner rumored as exploring a sale. When these all are built, this small area could see a density not far from what you'd get on a street in, say, Printers Row.

Let's also keep in mind that this is all in the (relatively) distant Logan Square neighborhood – I'd like to see even more aggressive TOD continue off the Grand + Chicago blue line stops, the Morgan + Cermak green lines, the Chinatown red line, the Halsted orange line, the Sedgwick brown line, etc.

Last edited by ithakas; Oct 22, 2015 at 7:38 PM.
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  #31024  
Old Posted Oct 22, 2015, 8:03 PM
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Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop View Post
^ Does it really remove community groups from the approval process, however. I'm unclear on the last-minute changes to the newly strengthened ordinance (apparently there were 3 of them)...........see article linked-to below.........if it's the local alderman that gives the final approval - as article states, of course that's giving community groups a voice on these matters (which they should absolutely, positively NOT have)..........or, are you talking about something specific which does not fall under what the aldermen need to sign-off on??


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...921-story.html
^ Even if the Alderman has to approve, it doesn't mean that they have to have rounds and rounds of community meetings. The developer can just give the Alderman his campaign donation and, after a wink and nod, get his variance. God bless America
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  #31025  
Old Posted Oct 22, 2015, 9:01 PM
LouisVanDerWright LouisVanDerWright is offline
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^ Damn, how did you mix those two up?

I'm kind of bummed, actually. I like the 1st proposal as well. I hope that gets built
I actually thought the first one was proposed for the armitage site all along and that the one that's actually going up was up by California... Actually extremely pleasant surprise to me as I still can't think of California stop as that high density. But it's sure gonna be something once the twins and a few of these other TOD's are finished.
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  #31026  
Old Posted Oct 22, 2015, 9:58 PM
sox102 sox102 is offline
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The demo/facade salvage permit for the Cedar Hotel was just entered into the Demolition Delay Hold List, so work on the site should be starting up relatively soon.
All I know is glass is scheduled to be onsite next August.
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  #31027  
Old Posted Oct 23, 2015, 12:17 PM
UrbanLibertine UrbanLibertine is offline
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The dual black towers on Milwaukee Avenue in Logan Square got their building permits yesterday.
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  #31028  
Old Posted Oct 23, 2015, 12:29 PM
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Originally Posted by UrbanLibertine View Post
The dual black towers on Milwaukee Avenue in Logan Square got their building permits yesterday.


I'm still not a fan of the ground floor treatment, but this is some solid density.

And actually, sometimes it's good for new developments to not have ground floor retail so that existing businesses (or empty retail spaces) have a shot of being successful.
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  #31029  
Old Posted Oct 23, 2015, 2:11 PM
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Originally Posted by UrbanLibertine View Post
The dual black towers on Milwaukee Avenue in Logan Square got their building permits yesterday.
Which is funny, because they received their original ones like last month. I was waiting or them to have construction equipment on site, but never saw it. Maybe these new permits will cause that Once these projects get built, that area will be a lot better/different from an urban perspective. Can't wait to see that.
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  #31030  
Old Posted Oct 23, 2015, 2:14 PM
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Originally Posted by marothisu View Post
Which is funny, because they received their original ones like last month. I was waiting or them to have construction equipment on site, but never saw it. Maybe these new permits will cause that Once these projects get built, that area will be a lot better/different from an urban perspective. Can't wait to see that.
I went by the site a couple days ago when I also snapped the pics of the neighboring TOD and it did seem they had at least cleared the parking that had been on site (I think there had been a Enterprise Carshare station there, no sign of it now that I can remember). Progress!
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  #31031  
Old Posted Oct 23, 2015, 7:34 PM
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Originally Posted by the urban politician View Post
^ Even if the Alderman has to approve, it doesn't mean that they have to have rounds and rounds of community meetings. The developer can just give the Alderman his campaign donation and, after a wink and nod, get his variance. God bless America
No City Council vote is needed to approve the density increase under the new TOD ordinance, just an Administrative Adjustment (granted by the Zoning Administrator) + letter of support from the alderman. That removes the process from public view, and more importantly, it greatly speeds up the timeline. A City Council zoning change can take several months even with the alderman's support. An administrative adjustment takes days. Essentially, this moves TOD development much closer to the "as-of-right" category.

Of course, some aldermen may still choose to seek community input before issuing the letter of support, but others may use the opportunity to simplify the process.

The parking reduction is available automatically as an Administrative Adjustment, without the alderman's support.

Quote:
Originally Posted by the urban politician View Post


I'm still not a fan of the ground floor treatment, but this is some solid density.

And actually, sometimes it's good for new developments to not have ground floor retail so that existing businesses (or empty retail spaces) have a shot of being successful.
The twin towers DO have ground floor retail, but only at the north and south ends. The central 1/3 will be the notorious blank wall, but it will be recessed back from the sidewalk with landscaping and a plaza/seating area, and an amenity deck for the towers directly overlooking this area one story up.

I wonder if Intelligentsia will move from the Logan Theater down here, or open a second Logan Square location... Rob Buono was the CEO of Intelly for awhile and he already opened one at Ashland/Division.
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  #31032  
Old Posted Oct 23, 2015, 7:57 PM
Ryanrule Ryanrule is offline
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What's the thought on getting some prodev alderman elected? Ide run
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  #31033  
Old Posted Oct 23, 2015, 9:56 PM
PKDickman PKDickman is offline
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Originally Posted by ardecila View Post
No City Council vote is needed to approve the density increase under the new TOD ordinance, just an Administrative Adjustment (granted by the Zoning Administrator) + letter of support from the alderman. That removes the process from public view, and more importantly, it greatly speeds up the timeline. A City Council zoning change can take several months even with the alderman's support. An administrative adjustment takes days. Essentially, this moves TOD development much closer to the "as-of-right" category.

Of course, some aldermen may still choose to seek community input before issuing the letter of support, but others may use the opportunity to simplify the process.

The parking reduction is available automatically as an Administrative Adjustment, without the alderman's support.
Except for TOD 1.0 (and still on RM6-6.5) the TOD parking reduction was always an administrative adjustment. In fact the first 50% is a freebie. The next 50% required a bag of donuts for the Admin.

The Admin Adjustment for bulk and density bumps, may prove to be moot.
That only applies to -3 parcels. Of all the TODs in the works, only three started on a parcel that was already -3, and two of them needed an upzone to a -5.

If it increases as of right TODs in existing -3 zones. I say Amen, that is what it's supposed to do. Otherwise, if you want a zoning change, you still have to go to the alderman with hat in hand.

Another odd thing is, in the old ordinance to qualify for the freebies, you had to reduce your parking by at least 50%. This has been struck from the text, in fact by my reading you can build a parking garage and still qualify for a .5 bump in FAR.
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  #31034  
Old Posted Oct 24, 2015, 7:42 PM
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New Uniqlo store looks great. Definitely adds to the "bright lights big city" feel of Michigan Ave. I know architecturally it doesn't add much, but it adds to the magic of the street.



Photos: A Sneak Peek At The Beautiful New UNIQLO

http://chicagoist.com/2015/10/23/uni..._d.php#photo-7
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  #31035  
Old Posted Oct 24, 2015, 7:52 PM
marothisu marothisu is offline
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About time we get a Uniqlo. I wonder where the others will go. My guess is somewhere on State (perhaps Block 37) and North/Clybourn.
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  #31036  
Old Posted Oct 24, 2015, 9:58 PM
Kngkyle Kngkyle is offline
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Originally Posted by killaviews View Post
New Uniqlo store looks great. Definitely adds to the "bright lights big city" feel of Michigan Ave. I know architecturally it doesn't add much, but it adds to the magic of the street.



Photos: A Sneak Peek At The Beautiful New UNIQLO

http://chicagoist.com/2015/10/23/uni..._d.php#photo-7
I'm a pretty big fan of that block, with all of it's different facades. None of them are particularly noteworthy on their own but together they look very interesting. I'm excited to see it when H&M is done.
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  #31037  
Old Posted Oct 24, 2015, 10:13 PM
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Funny that Topshop, Uniqlo and H&M all moved into the same block...
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  #31038  
Old Posted Oct 25, 2015, 1:04 AM
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  #31039  
Old Posted Oct 25, 2015, 1:06 AM
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Tom Servo Tom Servo is offline
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Originally Posted by killaviews View Post
New Uniqlo store looks great. Definitely adds to the "bright lights big city" feel of Michigan Ave. I know architecturally it doesn't add much, but it adds to the magic of the street.



Photos: A Sneak Peek At The Beautiful New UNIQLO

http://chicagoist.com/2015/10/23/uni..._d.php#photo-7
Hah, the evolution of that corner over the years is funny

Quote:
Originally Posted by ardecila View Post
Funny that Topshop, Uniqlo and H&M all moved into the same block...
Kind of like a one-stop-shop for the hipsters between the 3 trendy clothing shops and Verizon
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  #31040  
Old Posted Oct 25, 2015, 3:55 PM
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Hah, the evolution of that corner over the years is funny



Kind of like a one-stop-shop for the hipsters between the 3 trendy clothing shops and Verizon

That poor Columbia store must feel so lame.
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